Varicocele and its effect on fertility

Abstract

Varicocele is recognized as one of the most common urological diseases, but its true prevalence is a matter of debate. In the present study, during a screening examination of 442 young men (mean age 21.6 years), grade I varicocele was detected in 7.2%, grade II in 42.1%, and grade III in 15.2% of men, varicocele was absent only in 35.5% of men. In 41% of cases, varicocele was diagnosed in isolation on the left side, in 36.5% of cases, bilateral varicocele was detected, and in 22.5%, varicose veins of the spermatic cord were detected on the right. Pathozoospermia was found in 47.3% of patients with grade II varicocele and 61.2% with grade III varicocele. The data obtained in the course of the study showed a significant effect of varicocele and its duration on sperm quality, in particular, on sperm morphology.